Tassel



C. G. KING F eh. 8, 1938.

TASSEL Filed April 11, 193

2 Sheets-Shes 1 INVENTOIYQ. CLIFFORD E. KING ATTORNEY.

Feb. 8, 1938.

C. G. KING TASSEL Filed April 11, 1 2 Sh eetS -Sheet 2 lNvENToR CLIFFORD l3. KING O MMJM ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES fiCE Application April 11,

'7 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved type of tassel for use on cord articles, such as picture frame cords, curtain cords, etc., but is particularly adapted for use as a tassel to be attached to the end of a ladys shoe lace in accordance with the present vogue.

I am aware that others have formed a tassel by making a tuft formed by spirally coiling a sheet of material slitted along one edge thereof and attaching means to said spiral coil and directly securing said means to a cap member overlying said tuft. So far as I am aware, however, I am the first to provide a tassel in which the tuft strands are formed from a flat flexible member provided with a, center portion having a hole therein for stringing on the cord and spaced tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion and by provision of lower clamping means adapted to abut the lower surface of the center portion of said flexible member and upper clamping means adapted to abut the upper surface of said member, clamping the center portion of said tuft member between them and bending the spaced tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion downwardly to form a tuft.

While the upper clamping means of my device may consist of a hollow cap member it preferably consists of a rigid member having a center portion having a cord article stringing hole therein, and spaced radial arms bent downwardly therefrom to bend the radial tuft-forming strand portions of the tuft member downwards to form a tassel and thus in its finished form includes downwardly extending arms spaced from each other not forming an enclosing cap. By employing a tuft or tassel member constructed of flexible material made in this manner, it is apparent that I am enabled to provide a complete tassel in which the strands thereof in use are substantially adjacent and which will not overlap other adjacent flexible strands or tend to become tangled therewith.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tassel constructed of two or more separate parts including the tuft member heretofore described and upper and lower clamping means or members which may be clamped together independently of the cord article and provided with aligned central holes for securement of said tassel when formed on the cord article or which may be clamped or otherwise secured to the cord article in their manner of attachment to each other. Thus if desired. the upper and lower 1934, Serial Ne. 720,123

clamping means or members whether integral or not may be sold as a finding to a shoe lace manufacturer, who may himself provide the flexible tuft member and readily clamp the center portion of said member between said clamping memers while securing one of said members, preferably the lower clamping member to said cord article against movement thereon, or the complete tassel may be made and sold by one manufacturer as a complete tassel unit strung on the cord article.

Further features of my invention relate to novel improvements in the method of attaching the several members of my improved tassel together either on or off the cord article which includes bending the radial arms of my improved upper'clamping member downwardly to preferably simultaneously therewith bend the radial tuft forming strand portions of the tuft member downwardly to form a tassel or tuft around the lower clamping member.

These and such other objects of my invention as may hereinafter appear will be best understood from a description of the accompanying drawings which illustrate various embodiments thereof and their method of manufacture.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the preferably star shaped upper clamping member I preferably emp y.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the flexible tuft forming member I preferably employ having the radial strand forming arms.

Fig. 3 is a plan view illustrating a step of inserting the tubular means of a member including the combined upper and lower clamping means or members of my invention within the central hole of the flexible tuft member.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4- l of Fig. 3 in accordance with one method of making my invention wherein the lower clamping member or means is formed integral with the upper clamping member or means.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the next step of this method of manufacturing my invention illustrating how the radial arms of the upper clamping means or member are bent downwardly to bend the strand portions of the tuft member downwardly to form a tuft and the outer edges of the tubular means shown in Fig. 4 are simultaneously bent upwardly to clamp the center portion of the tuft member between the upper and lower clamping means or members.

Fig. 6 is .a side elevation of my improved tassel constructed according to any of the methods described.

Fig. 7 is a sectional View of an improved tassel constructed in accordance with the method shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a type of split lower clamping member I may employ with a different embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation illustrating a method of attaching my invention, wherein the upper and lower clamping members may be sold as separate findings and the upper clamping member, tuft forming member and lower clamping member threaded in that order on a cord, the tubular portion of the lower clamping member either clamped loosely around the cord, to abut the cylindrical unravelling member of the cord or clamped tightly to the cord and the upper clamping member in the act of being moved downwardly over the lower clamping member on the cord so that the center portion thereof may clamp the center portion of the tuft member against the lower clamping member and with the downwardly projecting arms thereof about to bend the radial tuft forming strands of the tuft member downwardly to form a supplemental tassel around an already existing tassel on the shoe lace shown therein.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation showing my improved supplemental tassel attached to a shoe lace in accordance with the method illustrated in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a sectional view of the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 illustrates a still further embodiment of my invention in which the upper and lower clamping members may be clamped together on each side of said tuft member to bend the tuft forming strands thereof downwardly to form a tuft and tassel, which tassel is adapted to be sold as a separate unit, the three members thereof being provided with aligned central holes to receive a cord therein shown in dotted lines secured against movement through said holes by the dotted line knot shown therein.

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 12 which may be sold as a single tassel unit, with a shoe lace to which it may be attached being shown in dotted lines.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout, I have shown at 20 in Fig. 6, 28 in Fig. 10 and 20" in Fig. 13 three different embodiments of my improved tassel constructed in accordance with three different methods to be described. As stated hitherto my improved tassel is adapted to be attached to the end of any suitable type of cord article, such as picture cord, furniture cord, curtain cord, etc., but is particularly adapted for use in accordance with the present mode as a tassel on the ends of ladies shoe laces. It may as shown in Fig. 10 provide a supplemental tuft 22', or as shown in Figs. 6 and 13 a main tuft 22 or 22".

My improved tassel 20, 20, 2!!" includes three parts, an upper clamping member, 24, (Fig. '7), 24' (Fig. 11), 24 (Fig. 12), a central tuft forming member 26 (Fig. '7), 26' (Fig. 11), 26 (Fig. 12) and a lower clamping member or means 28 (Figs. 5 and 7), 28' (Fig. 11), or 28" (Fig. 12), the upper clamping member being provided with the central hole 30, 3 and 30", the tuft member 26 with the central hole 342, 32, 32 and the lower clamping member 211 with the central hole 34, 34', 34" respectively for receiving and stringing of the cord article 35 therethrough. The lower clamping member 23, 23', 28" is preferably provided with means to abut a protuberance 38, 38', 38" on the cord article which may consist of a cylindrical unravelling member 38 shown in Fig. 11, or the knot 38" shown in Figs. 7 and 12. If desired, however, the tubular or gripping portion All, 40', 40" of the lower clamping member 28, 28, 28 may be tightly clamped.

around the cord article and by its radially inward clamping action itself retain my improved tassel to the cord article. In any embodiment the lower tubular means or member 28, 28', 28 is preferably provided with the tubular portion 40, Ml, 4E!" and means 42, 42', 42" projecting outwardly therefrom adapted to abut the lower surface of the center portion 44, 44', M" of the flexible member 26, 26, 26 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 comprising the annular lip 42 shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 11 and the annular lip 42" of the lower clamping member 28" shown in Fig. 12, the embodiments shown in Figs. 11 to 13 in this instance being similar with the exception that before fastening, the embodiment 42' is preferably split as shown. In the embodiment shown in Figs 4-? the tubular portion 40 is integrally attached to the center portion 46 of the upper clamping member 24 and the lower clamping extension 42 is integrally formed therefrom 2 as shown in Figs. 5 and 7 during the course of its manufacture. In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 9 and 10 the shoe lace 36' is provided with the free end 48' having the fibre strand tuft 59, the interlaced body 52 and 5 the cylindrical unravelling member 38 secured around said body above said tuft 50' and in this embodiment of my invention, the upper and lower clamping members 24' and 28' respectively are adapted to be sold as separate finding units to be clamped by the manufacturer of the shoe laces 36 around the tuft member 26' to form a tassel 20', or in the embodiment shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 the supplemental tassel 20 in addition to the ordinary shoe lace tassel 48. The tuft forming member 26, 26', 26 is preferably formed of leather, cloth or other suitable flexible material, and the upper clamping member 24, 24', 24" and lower clamping means or member 28, 28, 28" are preferably formed of metal, celluloid or other suitable rigid, preferably bendable material.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 12 and 13 adapted to be sold as a complete tassel unit, the tubular portion 40" and annular depending lip 42" of the member L 28 are preferably not split. The fiat flexible member 26" is then laid so that the central hole 32" thereof is around the tubular portion 40" of said lower clamping member 28" and the upper clamping member 24" is clamped over said flexible tuft member 26" to clamp the center portion 44 thereof against the portion 42" of the lower clamping member 28" so that the center portion 46 thereof will clamp the center portion 44" of the tuft member 24 against the clamping portion 42" of the lower clamping member 28 and so that the depending arms 54 thereof will force the depending tassel tuft forming strands 56 downwardly to form the tassel 22" as shown in Fig. 12 with the holes 30", 32", and 34" in the respective upper clamping member, tuft member and lower clamping member in alignment so that the device may be sold to the ra e as a tassel unit. The shoe lace manufacturer merely then has to insert the free end 48" of the shoe lace or other cord article 36 employed through said aligned holes and provide the knot 38" therein which will then abut the lower surface of the projection 42" of the lower clamping member 24" to retain the tassel 20 on the cord 36".

As stated hitherto, the upper and lower clamping members 24 and 28 may be sold as a finding unit and the tuft member 26' manufactured by the shoe lace manufacturer in which instance the split tubular portion 40 and split lip 42' of the split clamping member 28 shown in Fig. 8 are secured around the shoe lace, either so that they will be tightly bound around the cord 36 so that the tubular portion will not move relative thereto, or so that the lower surface of the annular lip 42' may abut a protuberance such as the knot 38" or cylindrical unravelling member 38 shown in Fig. 11 to prevent downward movement thereof on said cord article, the upper clamping member 24 having first been threaded on the cord article and the tuft member 26' having been threaded on the cord article ahead of the lower clamping member. After the split lower clamping member has been rigidly secured to the cord article either by clamping it firmly therearound, or clamping the split portions of the tubular portion 40 thereof together so that it may abut a protuberance 38' on said cord article, the upper clamping member is then moved downwardly to clamp the center portion 44 of the tuft member 26 against the annular lip 42 of the lower clamping member 28 and so that the downwardly extending arms 54 thereof previously bent downwardly from the flat blank shown in Fig. 1 thereof will force the tuft forming strands 56' of the tuft forming member 26' downward to form the tuft 22 as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 consisting of the equi-distantly spaced arms 56 substantially forming a cylindrical tuft without overlapping.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1'7 as shown in Fig. 4 the lower clamping member 28 is made integral with the center portion 46 of the upper clamping member 24 and in its first form projects upwardly therefrom as shown in Fig, 4 so that the tubular portion will be threaded upwardly through the central hole 32 in the tuft forming member. Then as shown in Fig. 5 the upper portion 42 of the tubular portion 40 is preferably bent outwardly so as to clamp the center portion 44 of the tuft member against the center portion 46 of the upper clamping member as shown in Fig. '7 and the arms 54 thereof are simultaneously drawn downwardly to compress the radial tuft forming portion downwardly to form the strands 55 of the tuft 22 (although actually shown in inverted form). Thus in the embodiment shown in Figs. 4-7 in completed form the upper and lower clamping members 24 and 28 are integrally joined together by the tubular portion whereas in the other embodiments shown the clamping means 24 and 28 are separate members and do not directly contact, but merely clamp the center portion 44 of the tuft member between them.

It is apparent therefore that I have provided a novel type of tassel and method of its manufacture relatively simple and easy to construct which may be sold either as a tassel unit for attaching to a cord article by the user or in which the upper and lower clamping members thereof may be sold as findings to be attached by the cord article manufacturer to clamp between them the tassel forming member 26, of simple construction which may be readily fabricated in the usual type of pressing machine, providing a very neat tassel and with the other advantages described above.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiments shown or methods described and that various deviations may be made therefrom without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end, a tuft member constructed of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article and integral spaced tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, lower clamping means adapted to abut the lower surface of said tuft member and the upper surface of a cord article portion spaced from the end of said cord article for preventing downward movement of said tuft member on said cord article, said lower clamping means comprising a tubular portion adapted to surround said cord article and means projecting outwardly therefrom adapted to abut the lower surface of the center portion of said tuft member and upper clamping means for securing said tuft member against upward movement on said cord article comprising a rigid member constructed of rigid bendable flat material having a base center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article above said tuft member adapted to clamp said center portion of said tuft member against said lower clamping means for preventing downward movement of said tuft member on said cord article, and spaced portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion of less length than said radial tuft forming strand portions bendable downwardly to bend said radial tuft member strand portions downwardly to form a tuft with said strand portions laterally adjacent to each other and substantially normal to the center portion of said rigid member.

2. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end, comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord, and spaced integral tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion and upper and lower clamping means engaging the top and bottom of the center portion of said tuft member to per manently hold the center portion of said tuft member between them and bend said radial tuft strand portions downwardly in tuft formation substantially normal to the upper end of said upper clamping means, each having a central hole therein for receiving said cord article.

3. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end, comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article, and spaced integral tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion and means to bend said tuft forming member strands in tuft formation substantially normal to the center portion of said tuft member and retain it in a desired position on said cord article.

4. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end, comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article, and spaced integral tuft form- ,ing strand portions projecting radially outwardiy {from said center portion, a cap member adapted 'to be superimposed over the center portion of said tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation substantially normal to the upper end of said cap member, said cap member having a central hole therein for also receiving said cord article, and means adapted to cooperate with said cap member to retain said tuft forming member in tuft formation in a desired position on said cord article.

5. A tassel for use with shoe lac-es and like cord articles having a free end, comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article, and spaced integral tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a cap member having a base and a cylindrical wall and superimposed over the center portion of said tuft forming member to cause the cylindrical wall thereof to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation substantially normal to the upper end of said cap member, said cap member having a central hole therein for also receiving said cord article, and means cooperating with said cap member to retain said tuft forming member in tuft formation in a desired position on said cord article.

6. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end, comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord, and spaced integral tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion and upper and lower clamping means engaging the top and bottom surfaces of said tuft member to permanently hold said tuft member between them and bend said radial tuft strand portions downwardly in tuft formation substantially normal to the upper end of said upper clamping means, said clamping means having a central hole therein for receiving said cord article.

'7. A tassel for use with shoe laces and like cord articles having a free end, comprising a tuft member of flexible material having a center portion having a hole therein for stringing on said cord article, and spaced integral tuft forming strand portions projecting radially outwardly from said center portion, a fastening member adapted to be superimposed over said tuft forming member to bend said radial tuft strands downwardly in tuft formation substantially normal to the upper end of said fastening member said fastening member having a central hole therein for also receiving said cord article, and means adapted to cooperate with said fastening member to retain said tuft forming member in tuft formation.

CLIFFORD G. KING. 

